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Archive for July, 2012

So after getting some feedback/discussions on this, I realised that the worst Loser Ruin actually isn´t the “endgame spoiling”.

It is the Losers Exit Strategy.

The real top-of-class in the sport of losing ruin, is when a gamer stares into certain defeat – and decides he wants out. Out of the game entirely.
Well, in some games this isn´t possible at all, but then in many wargames/territory holding games it acutally is.

Exit-strategy by losing all your land and country. Total defeat.

Now, no matter how good a player you are – no one can stand the attack of a random player with an Exit Strategy, and still go on to win.
So there you are enjoying the game, everything building up nicely (birds singing outside) – and someone goes mental.

Not to achieve anything game-wise by it – they just want to be taken out themselves, and you were the closest one.
So they throw everything at you (literally), just to lose that everything – which was their ultimate plan.
You are now the one left with a ruined game.

Picking a winner (mentioned in earlier post) without any chance to win yourself is nothing compared to this Losers Exit Strategy.
Doing that simply alters the end, it doesn´t ruin the game, just the ending.
This feat however ruins the game itself. It is something even a 6-year old would have enough class to not even consider.

So the next time you are in a tight spot, staring at certain defeat – and say, your mind starts to wander.
If your thoughts should stray as far as to the idea of the “Loser Exit Strategy” – taze yourself immediately, and pull your s*** together.

So first of all, this post is clearly biased by the fact that I was on the wrong end of what I would call “The Loser Ruin”.
This means that this entire post will reek “sore loser”, but try to look past that to understand the principle.

Having put that note forward, I would attest that I am still in disgust of this kind of play, and it did lead to heated discussions upon endgame.
(Which always happens, but this was more than the nerdy trashtalks that is usual).

Let me try to describe the situation, as it describes “The loser ruin” pretty well.
3 players play through a game until the final round. 2 players are deadlocked for the victory – 1 is left way behind (literally no chance to win).
So it happens, that upon the last move the player far behind has the option to play 1 of three special cards.
2 of these puts the player a slight bit further up the board (still no chance to win), but the remaining card seriously pulls back 1 other player.
This player is now actually able to determine the game, if he plays this card – as whoever gets it ends up second; the other one wins.

So do you play that card?

What is already quite clear, is that I was the one handed the card, ending up second – but still ending up ahead of the player who played it.
So what is the reason- besides personal grudges – for playing that card? I am still puzzled.

Would you chose to play it – or just admit defeat and let events unfold?
I am maybe old fashioned – but there is still a certain honor in admitting clear defeat; until you pull a stunt like that.

Of course there is valid arguments to play that ruining action, but if you are in no position to win the game either way, you are playing “The Loser Ruin”.

“The Loser ruin”:
The moment where you in clear defeat deliberately choose to ruin the game for another player, just for the fun of it.
And that is not losing like a Boss.